


Simple Request

by Blue_Sparkle



Series: The Voyages of the USS Erebor [1]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Half-Klingon Dwalin, M/M, Part-Vulcan Nori, Pon Farr, Smut, Star Trek AU, alternative universe, uncertain relationship status
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-07
Updated: 2014-12-28
Packaged: 2018-02-28 12:58:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2733413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Sparkle/pseuds/Blue_Sparkle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the chief of security Dwalin would very much prefer a steady environment for the starship Erebor. Having the helmsman, a former smuggler and part Vulcan, as a lover does put a dent in that preference, one Dwalin does try to get used to. But when Nori starts behaving in ways that are unusual even for him Dwalin is left to worry and try to find out the cause of this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

There were lots of strange behaviours Dwalin had missed in his day. It was nearly natural to him to dismiss unnatural behaviour. What even was natural when you grew up among people from all over the galaxy? 

Things his mother found completely normal and did a lot were strange to Dwalin’s human father, who sometimes struggled to understand his wife even after decades of living with her. Same as Lawara still had things about Fundin that baffled her, despite being an Ambassador. There were just tiny ways in everyday life that could completely throw a stranger. 

Dwalin knew many humans who acted differently; based on which planet or colony they had grown up on, as well as the few Klingons he’d met in his life. There were many more people in the galaxy, many he’d studied or served with, and things became stranger still in space, light-years away from the nearest habitable planet, surrounded by nothing but stars and emptiness. 

Of course Dwalin grew used to friends, and he knew the crew of the Erebor as well as a gruff security officer could. He _could_ notice when someone was acting different from their usual, but only rarely. Mostly he only registered it when the difference was manifesting in something that might be a threat, otherwise Dwalin rarely noticed or cared.

Among the crew, Nori was perhaps one of the ones he knew best, with how much time they spend together. When he’d just come aboard Dwalin had watched the thief sharply, then they’d spend time together in their duties as high-ranking officers, and since Nori was on the bridge a lot, Dwalin also saw him there. By now Dwalin could anticipate his behaviour in a fight or any sort of confrontation, and he could read his body language as well.

Yet Nori was also the one who tended to behave the least predictable, and the one who was the strangest. There was something about one who looked like a Vulcan acting like Nori did, that still took Dwalin aback. The wide smiles, the way he was subtle and quiet in crowds, but never had that stoic expression Dwalin had seen in others. He was more human like that, but he also didn’t act like most of those.

Nori often did things seemingly without reason, and sometimes these things had results, and sometimes they didn’t have any Dwalin could see. He’d wondered about whether Nori was still doing illegal things and smuggling contraband aboard the Erebor, but by now he’d decided to not loose his mind about that either. 

But Dwalin knew Nori well enough. Like a friend maybe, perhaps even as well as he did his own family. He knew what a bastard Nori could be, and he knew his humour and could appreciate it and how Nori did give him genuine smiles for jokes most others only laughed about because Dwalin was intimidating and they were scared of him. Dwalin knew how Nori was in a fight or in a stressful situation, how he stayed focused when there was danger, and how he fought dirty any way there was, sometimes when there was no reason. He knew how Nori’s punches felt like when he was just a little more forceful than necessary during sparring sessions, and he knew how Nori’s fingers felt like when they were digging into his flesh and when they were soft and stroking the skin of Dwalin’s belly. 

He knew Nori as well as Nori wanted to be known, and from what Dwalin had heard, this was already much more than one could normally get with Vulcans. From the many rumours Dwalin had heard few had turned out to be true for Nori. He wasn’t sure how much of that was because Nori had never grown up among others of his ancestors’ kind. Still, that trust filled Dwalin with a little pride, both as far as seeing Nori’s emotions went, and knowing someone this secretive. 

There were days when Dwalin would idly wonder whether Nori felt anything for him at all, when he dared admit to himself that he would not want to be parted from him anymore. Nori was still part Vulcan after all, and near anyone seemed to agree that Vulcans had no emotions, that they did not feel love the way most other races did. 

Rumours and bias mostly, or some inexplicable interest in someone who’s emotions were near to impossible to access if they existed at all, and Dwalin knew from personal experience that there was little truth in that kind of talk. More than once he’d been treated according to how people _thought_ a Klingon would be like. He wasn’t sure how much truth there was in what people said about Vulcans though.

Did they love or ever act on it? Did they just love differently from how Dwalin would, and would that mean he’d never consider it returned? Even without that, Dwalin would have been hard pressed to guess about what Nori felt. Their helmsman was not the kind who gave his affections lightly. Truth be told, only his little brother Ori seemed to have his unconditional love, Nori never showed his affections without taunting at the same time otherwise. It had been hard for Dwalin to tell when Nori’s behaviour towards him had changed from actual insults and desire to some warmth and desire. 

If Nori were human, Dwalin would have maybe called what they had an affair. Barely a real one, nothing had been declared, there was barely anything changed from how they were like in public Dwalin thought. He wasn’t sure whether it was just fucking and maybe friendship, or whether they were lovers. Perhaps Nori was the kind who’d like to settle on the former. But he was also not human, and Dwalin couldn’t be certain that this was the most Nori _could_ give to him, that this was how Vulcans were like.

He could not be certain without asking, and Nori rarely spoke of anything relating to his ancestors, he probably wouldn’t like Dwalin prying like this. All other information about Vulcans and their ideas of love was either coded and not for Dwalin’s eyes, or could be received from people Dwalin certainly did not want to talk to about these things. He’d seen Dori in a fight, and he would not want to have the man suspect he was somehow involved with his little brother and decide he was bad for Nori. So really, it left nobody to ask. 

As it was, Dwalin and Nori had the sort of relationship he’d seen quite a few space travellers have on such missions. Dozen of light-years away from their homeworlds, working together in such a limited field with not that many breaks one took comfort where it was possible. And Dwalin liked it with Nori. It was easier and nicer than most relationships of the kind Dwalin had had, and both of them knew that the other wasn’t simply interested in getting into their pants because of what they were.

Dwalin had no idea whether Nori even cared for such things, but he himself was annoyed about people wanting to experience a ‘Klingon’ in bed, sometimes more than the people who avoided him just for that reason.

But he knew Nori as well as he was permitted to, and he sometimes thought he’d like them to be lovers. Whatever else was going on in their lives though, Nori was his friend, and part of his crew, part of those who Dwalin had to keep safe. He was no psychiatrist, and no doctor, but keeping the crew, and most of all Nori, safe meant that he had to notice and worry about their behaviour.

It was hard with Nori, but Dwalin wasn’t completely blind and dismissive after all.

They’d been assigned to a small team that was supposed to scan a group of asteroids and debris from a shuttle, to collect data and maybe even rocks and bits of the materials they stumbled across. The task required high focus, and was boring as well. The actual traveling bit and avoiding asteroids and collision was crucial, but the area they were in held little danger as far as these things went.

To Nori it was laughably easy, he’d regularly chased his tiny ship into way worse conditions during his days as a smuggler before he’d ended up on the Erebor. Dwalin had been trained for battle conditions, so just floating through space wasn’t much work to him. Really it was just both of them sitting at the helm, waiting for the science team to finish whatever it was they wanted to do.

Nori sat still and turned so that he could watch the play of light on the asteroids, while Dwalin leaned back in his seat and only kept an eye on the scanners and any danger warnings about the shuttle’s shields or proximity to hard objects. The rest of their team was at the back of the shuttle, working with their own instruments, and the senior officers were left alone.

They weren’t as private here as Dwalin would have liked, though it was nearly enough to talk. He hadn’t had the opportunity to see Nori in way too long, to sit down with him and have lunch, or to even touch, as brief as their touches were for the most part.

Dwalin had always been very tactile, has always liked holding his lovers and kissing them and feeling their bodies against his. It had been a point of concern when he’d first considered giving in to Nori’s seduction attempts. Shagging in some empty conference room was all right, but Dwalin usually wanted to have at least some sort of closeness along with that. He’d been pleasantly surprised to find that Nori didn’t hold back at all in his touches.

And it hadn’t taken him that long to realize that the innocent touches they did share were not only nice to Dwalin, but actually were much more intimate to Nori. Dwalin had liked that Nori liked to touch him with no intent, and he’d been surprised how Nori enjoyed just holding his hand, or stroking over it with light and nearly shy touches. There always had been such a nice feeling to go along with it, something deep in Dwalin’s chest that made him appreciate Nori’s presence even more. 

He’d been surprised to find out that Vulcans shared comfort like this, that it was something like a telepathic equivalent of a kiss form them, or those who shared their physique. He’d appreciated Nori’s gentle touches even more once he realized, and how they could share such closeness without anyone realizing, or how pretty Nori blushed when Dwalin clasped his hands in his instead. 

Just holding hands with the science team so close by was probably a bad idea, the gesture was an intimate one, even if you didn’t know what was shared. They hadn’t had time for even that in so long though. Dwalin wanted the warmth, wanted to feel the soft content at the edges of his mind that must be Nori’s own emotions, he wanted to just touch his lover’s skin too.

Thinking about what Dwalin would like to do to Nori in that moment, his eyes wandered away from his displays, and over to his left to where he was sitting. His eyes only briefly lingered on his form, before moving to his hands, watching the strong but delicate fingers…

It was when Dwalin first noticed how Nori’s perfect stillness was him sitting stiffly, his hands were clasped together on the console, still as they never were. Glancing up again confirmed that Nori wasn’t all right. His face wasn’t calm in the easy relaxed way it usually was. Nori’s jaw was clenched, and there was the smallest of frowns on his face. He looked as if he was terribly uncomfortable, but trying to hide it as best as he could. 

Dwalin usually saw similar things with those who were in pain but tried to push through it or ignored it. Sometimes that was necessary, but not when there was nothing was at stake.

“Are you feeling alright?” Dwalin asked quietly.

“What?” 

It took Nori several moments to realize he’d been spoken to, and a few more to tear his eyes away from the space before them and turn to Dwalin. He looked absentminded, watching Dwalin as if he was confused by him and the surroundings.

“I asked whether you feel well,” Dwalin repeated, keeping his voice low enough that only Nori would pick up his words. No need to let the others notice if Nori didn’t want that, and no need to make it seem as if their helmsman was somehow sick.

Nori’s lips quirked into a smile, but it looked tired. 

“Of course I do, though I could do with some whiskey right now.”

Dwalin snorted at that.

“That’s not the look of someone who wants off time. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“What do you care?” Nori sneered.

“I’m responsible for the safety of everyone on board, which includes making sure our helmsman isn’t about to fall ill.”

Quieter he added, “and I care about you and how you feel, too. I’d care if you’re unwell or need help.” 

Nori’s face softened a little, and Dwalin saw how he relaxed until he just looked tired, but not as stiff as before and much more like himself.

“I’m fine. There’s just something… I think it’s this star’s radiation? I think I’m sensitive and it hasn’t been as bad on the ship? Dori would roll his eyes at me for not dealing well.”

It sounded strange to Dwalin, but he wouldn’t know how anything could affect one with a mind like Nori’s. It sounded real enough to let it slide for now.

And Nori did act normal afterwards, and chatted with Dwalin for the rest of the mission. It was enough for Dwalin to be reassured and forget about the incident. 

 

*

Nori had never been the cold and stoic sort, as one would assume him to be based on his looks. He was calm though, and he was good at dealing with stressful situations or things that would have others loose their patience. 

Such as training young ensigns or overseeing the tasks and projects they worked on. It wasn’t technically part of his work, since Nori being on the ship was already a very unusual thing, one that wasn’t supposed to happen. He had dropped out of Starfleet after all, to pursue questionable career choice after questionable life choice. 

But Nori had experience, both in theory and practice, so the younger crewmembers liked him and the occasional stories they tried to coax out of him at any time. Nori being part Vulcan also did wonders for his popularity among the youngest ones, especially those who had a romanticized notion about Vulcans. 

It was no wonder then, that nervous young ensigns and the occasional cadet would approach Nori whenever they spotted him not doing anything that looked overly important. 

This only rarely happened in the recreation rooms; since usually nobody wanted to think about work when having completely free time and visiting these. Most of the youngest didn’t visit the same ones as the older senior officers anyway. 

Dwalin had nothing much to do that day. He’d visited the gym earlier that day and didn’t feel like doing more exercise, but he also didn’t feel like staying in his own quarters. There wasn’t much to do in the rec room either, but there was company. The sort, where you weren’t alone but didn’t have to interact with anyone if you didn’t want to. Sometimes looking scary and unapproachable did have some perks. 

He’d ended up alone at one of the tables, playing solitaire by himself. Perhaps Glóin or Bofur would appear sometime soon, Dwalin might play a few rounds of cards with them later.

Nori was there in the rec room as well, though Dwalin knew better than to approach him now. When he was in the mood for cards, he often also was in the mood to cheat left and right and laugh in Dwalin’s face. Right now Nori was sitting in the corner though, eyes closed and hands folded together near his chin. He seemed to be lost in thought, or even meditating perhaps. 

As far as Vulcans and their culture went, Nori seemed to neglect anything spiritual to a point of barely even doing anything at all. It did not mean that he’d _never_ do it though. Perhaps he was just pondering some problem in his head. Either way, Dwalin was content on his own and he knew that liking Nori didn’t mean he must spend every waking minute cautiously seeking his company. Even if the thought was nice.

The way Dwalin was sitting he could see Nori with one simple glance up from his cards, but he didn’t pay much attention to what he was doing. He was still as a statue after all, so each time Dwalin did look, nothing had changed at all.

Around them the other crewmembers went about their business. Some were playing chess, others were simply having a snack and were gossiping, and a few played around with the radio to find some music everyone would agree on. 

After a while the door opened, and two ensigns walked in. One of them was clutching a PADD, the other was looking around the room expectantly. Both of them spotted Nori at the same time, and immediately made their way towards him. 

“Mr Rivers, sir, would you mind looking over these calculations?” one asked, as Nori cracked open his eyes and stared on the PADD the younger placed before him nervously. He slowly raised his eyes from it to take in the two before him.

“We tried to practice with the new simulations, and you once said that this sort of asteroid belt is a speciality of yours.”

Nori had helped them, or their friends before then. His hands slowly unwrapped and he placed both of them next to the PADD, staring down as the ensigns still chatted on. There was something strange in Nori’s expression, in the set of his jaw, and the hardness in his face. Dwalin had tried not to stare, but he was nearly sure that Nori’s hands had trembled ever so slightly.

Dwalin didn’t know what he’d expected, but certainly not the sudden sneer on Nori’s face, mere seconds after his eyes had skimmed over the file.

“Are you serious?” he hissed, the sharpness of his voice making the two ensigns stand at attention in shock.

“S-sir?”

“Even an infant of Earth would know to actually _calculate_ the damn asteroids based on this belt.”

His finger pocked against the PADD’s screen with unusual nearly sloppy force.

“You completely neglected at least two variables here, and that’s just from what I can see on the first page. The next time you decide to disturb me with this trash you will bloody think twice!”

Nori’s eyes flashed, and silence fell in the rec room. He hadn’t raised his voice much, but it had been enough to be heard by the rest. Nobody was sure what to do, but at least the ensigns stared at Nori with disbelief in their faces, rather than shame. They did look afraid though. 

A few seconds went by, nobody moved. Finally Nori blinked, and tore his gaze away from the two. His eyes scanned the room quickly, with some disorientation. His eyes found Dwalin’s, and he opened his mouth as if to say something. 

Dwalin wasn’t sure how to react to that, and he just stared back until Nori couldn’t hold his gaze any longer. His cheeks flushed and he shied away from the stares.

“Forgive me,” he muttered and got up in a clumsy move, so different from his usual confident and cocky grace. 

He pushed passed the confused ensigns and rushed out of the rec room as fast as he could without breaking into a run. 

Dwalin had half made a move to get up and follow him, but he doors closed behind Nori before he could even do so. He just sat back down with a huff. 

One of the ensigns collected the PADD, and the two whispered between each other, confused. 

“What was that all about?” One of the engineers at the table next to Dwalin asked.

Her friend shrugged and picked up some chess pieces. 

“Just some Vulcan bitching I suppose. Who knows what goes on between those pointy ears?”

Dwalin’s hand slammed against the table, just enough to still _possibly_ be interpreted as accidental. He never did accidental things as far as his strength was concerned, he’d learned not to his entire life. The two crewmembers didn’t know though, and with one last angry glare Dwalin got up again and left. 

The naked fear on the man’s face gave him some satisfaction, but it was short-lived. He didn’t know what was wrong with Nori, but the display concerned him. Maybe he was sick, maybe it _was_ a Vulcan thing. 

He wanted to help, but he also wasn’t sure how to approach Nori. He’d seemed ashamed before. Would he even want Dwalin to pry into his privacy? Was Dwalin even close enough to be permitted something like this? 

The fact that Dwalin didn’t know whether he was allowed to be around Nori during such times was disconcerting. Dwalin _wanted_ to make sure Nori was well, but he could he do more than the chief of security and a friend were allowed to? 

Dwalin wasn’t sure where Nori had gone to, and he _would not_ use his access to the computers to find Nori, or summon him while he was off duty. He rarely had qualms about this, but now Nori was simply unwell, not up to anything… 

In the end Dwalin just decided to return to his own quarters and not think of the way Nori’s slim hands were clasped together.


	2. Chapter 2

There were some things people had in common, no matter what planet they were from. Dwalin’s mother had always said so, and he listened to anything she said. 

“Good company and nice food and rest will make anyone feel better,” Lawara had promised. “Always worked on your father, and here I was led to believe that humans are stubborn in their bad moods. Granted, this only works on people who _do_ consume nourishment as we do, but I’m sure you can work around that.”

Dwalin could not really provide rest, though he was sure that Nori would see to that if he needed and wanted it. He was not one to overwork himself if there was no emergency. 

He _could_ give food and good company. Or at least he hoped so. Inviting Nori to join him for lunch and making sure that he’d get his favourite food, or at least the closest to that one could get on the ship, was what Dwalin could provide for him. He’d just have to assume that Nori was the kind to be cheered up by food, and that he’d consider Dwalin good company.

When Dwalin asked Nori to accompany him, the smuggler had looked nearly pained, but he had managed a soft smile and agreed to join Dwalin. He behaved different from any way he’d been like before, in obvious ways then. 

Instead of the formfitting skirt uniform Nori liked wearing when he had nothing to do, he was dressed in the baggy sweater and pants combination. Unusual for him, Dwalin hadn’t even known that Nori had ever even taken the sweater when handed out.

He seemed to listen when Dwalin spoke though, and he did watch him, though there was something unfocused and nearly feverish about him. Nori kept moving his fingers, rubbing his knuckles and shifting uncomfortably, and there was a very subtle green tinge to the tips of his ears and high on his cheekbones. 

It seemed to Dwalin as if Nori had caught a flu, from what he could tell. Strange that Nori didn’t just go to Óin in sickbay, since he’d never shown signs of disliking the med bay. 

At least it explained why Nori was being quiet and didn’t reply to all Dwalin said. 

Dwalin had picked a mass hall that would be less crowded, and they had a table all for themselves, nearly private in a corner and half hidden from view by some plants. Dwalin even carried Nori’s tray to the table, and tried pulling out Nori’s chair for him when Nori’s movements were slow and sloppy. 

They would just be eating together, maybe joking around and teasing each other or talk about the last shore leave or the next planet they’d visit. That would at least raise Nori’s spirits for sure.

It didn’t help at all, Dwalin could tell after a few minutes. 

Nori didn’t relax, and there was a tenseness in his eyes and in the way he sat. He looked too small and pale, which was only emphasized by his too large sweater. Apart from fiddling with his cup, he didn’t even touch his food at all. He barely seemed to notice the plate.

Dwalin watched it for a few minutes, then put down his own fork and stared at Nori without saying a word. At least he noticed the sudden silence and glanced up at Dwalin with a nervous look. 

“What happened to you?” Dwalin asked, hoping he sounded concerned, and not gruff or even annoyed. 

“Nothing.”

“Nothing? You’ve not been yourself for some time now. I want to know what is wrong with you. Are you sick? Just a flu or some Vulcan thing?”

Nori’s lips twitched; in what he probably thought was a smile.

“Since when do you know when I’m myself?”

Dwalin tried his best not to look hurt, but he must have failed since Nori’s smile froze and he ducked his head. 

“Sorry… I… It’s a thing… I can’t… I really should not speak of it.”

“You know what it is? Why haven’t you gone to sickbay yet?”

“Because that wouldn’t change a thing!”

Nori sighed and looked away. He sounded a little worried to Dwalin, but also resigned. Which didn’t calm Dwalin down even the tiniest bit. 

“Will it heal by itself? Or will it get worse?”

Nori’s eyes widened a little, and he glanced over at Dwalin. He opened his mouth and didn’t reply. 

Dwalin felt a chill run down his spine. 

“Worse?”

Nori pressed his lips together and bowed his head again, nearly nodding. 

“… Maybe.”

“How bad _can_ it get?”

Nori didn’t reply again, but he watched Dwalin with his tired look. Dwalin resisted the urge to reach across the table and grab his love’s narrow shoulders. No use to cause a scene in the mass hall, and it would not change a thing, just cause Nori to run away if he didn’t want to deal with Dwalin’s inquiries. He didn’t need to feel Dwalin’s emotions through the touch either. 

“If this _can_ get fatal for you _have_ to tell me!”

“I really don’t.” 

Dwalin felt anger in his helplessness, having Nori just drop this information and refuse to elaborate. He quickly shoved the anger to the back of his mind. Rage should not be born from fear and he needed to know what Nori was hiding, how to help him.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over his face, taking the time to compose himself. Nori was watching him with a worried frown when he looked up again. 

“If this is a Vulcan thing…” Dwalin started slowly, and Nori didn’t show a sign of this being a wrong assumption, “then I can just go and ask Dori. He’d know why his brother thinks he might die, yes?”

The sudden panic on Nori’s face made Dwalin wince with guilt.

“You wouldn’t,” Nori hissed. “You can’t let Dori know of _anything_ you wouldn’t believe what he’d do if he thought he could help me! I can help myself, I _won’t_ die, I’m not an idiot!”

He let himself fall back in his chair and closed his eyes. 

Dwalin nodded solemnly. 

“On my honour, I will respect your privacy and I won’t reveal your secrets to anyone.”

Dwalin tentatively reached out across the table, offering his hand to Nori, with the middle and the index fingers stretched out slightly, as Nori did when he stole kisses from him.

Nori cracked open an eye to stare at it, and he slowly raised his hand towards Dwalin’s before pulling away. He looked so pained once more. 

Dwalin let his hand hang between them for a few more moments, then dropped it. He didn’t pull it away yet, and Nori kept glancing down, as if he was still debating whether to touch or no. 

“I will be fine,” Nori said eventually. “I promise, I have plans for however bad this gets, and I will feel better very soon. I meant to tell you, it’s just…”

He looked around, looking uncomfortable, and… embarrassed. 

“I didn’t know how to speak of such a thing before.”

“Will you tell me now?”

Nori’s lips twitched down. 

“Not in public.”

Dwalin raised his eyebrows. Nori was not one to every shy way from talking about terribly lewd things in public; groping or making suggestions and teasing Dwalin in the moments nobody happened to glance their way. Having Nori be like that now was a strange sight to behold.

Nori noticed the look and quickly got up.

“I’ll tell you in my own time,” he snapped, listlessness replaced by short temper once more. 

His face did ease back into a smile though, and he reached out to squeeze Dwalin’s hand again.

“I promise, everything will be back to normal very soon!”

Then Nori pulled his hand away and took his untouched food to leave the mass hall. Dwalin didn’t even manage to tell him goodbye. The brief contact of skin on skin had felt… different. 

There had been such _heat_ in the touch, like coming too close to a flame but pulling away just before feeling the pain. Hotter than a fever, and it was nearly disconcerting to rub his hand and feel none of it. It hadn’t been Nori’s skin that felt so fever hot, it had been something else. 

_It was in my mind_ , Dwalin thought and stared down at his rough knuckles. A little bit like the definite feeling of the comfort and closeness a kiss brought without actually feeling anything on his lips, when Nori touched held his hand. It wasn’t something Dwalin ever experienced unless it was Nori initiating things, and no other form of telepathy was familiar to him at all.

There was no way for Dwalin to know whether the heat he felt was real or imagined, and what it meant. Was that the sickness Nori had to deal with? 

Without actually asking there was no way to tell, and Dwalin made himself stop staring at his hand and finished his meal alone. 

 

*

 

The lights were already dimmed in the corridors when Dwalin was on his way back to his quarters. Nobody was around as the door to one of the smaller conference rooms opened with a soft hiss. 

Dwalin wasn’t even surprised when it was Nori standing in the doorway, gesturing him to enter. He _was_ a little surprised when he noticed how Nori’s eyes scanned the corridor before quickly following and locking the door. 

“Why the secrecy?” Dwalin asked and walked over to the conference table. 

He didn’t sit down, but he did lean his hip against the table. He watched how Nori came closer then stood straight before him, as if he was ready to start a lecture. It was nearly absurd to see Nori this serious when it was just the two of them. What little pretence of being a diligent and good officer Nori had usually was dropped when people who knew better were around. And Dwalin probably was one of those who knew best. 

“Because I want to tell you what this has all been about. I don’t want anyone else to hear, and technically I’m not supposed to talk to you about it either.”

Dwalin raised his eyebrows, but let Nori go on without interrupting. Nori was actually looking at him now, and he looked composed, though he did seem to put effort into standing still and straight, with his hands clasped behind his back.

“You were right about thinking it’s a Vulcan thing. It’s part of the biology, and being a half-breed doesn’t spare you.”

Nori gave Dwalin a crooked grin. 

“It’s pretty embarrassing, really. Even I don’t like it, and I really couldn’t care less about propriety. Still, promise you won’t ever tell anyone? Only those who are involved need to know…”

Dwalin nodded firmly, growing curious about it now.

“I won’t talk to anyone unless you tell me I can.”

Nori leaned his head to the side. 

“Very well. Have you ever thought about Vulcan reproduction?”

The blunt question nearly made Dwalin choke on his spit. He hoped it didn’t show, though.

“N-no? I mean, I don’t think about other species’ like that anyway, and you’re the only Vulcan I ever cared about like that. We couldn’t have a child though, so I never had reason to think about it…”

Dwalin paused and tried not to stare too much.

“Had I? Is this what you wanted to talk about?”

Nori rolled his yes.

“The why doesn’t matter, and no. Vulcan reproduction is just the cause of our problem; it’s not a problem in itself nowadays. Just…”

He paused there, considering. 

“The way our bodies work, Vulcans can only reproduce naturally every seven years. The problem is that _when_ it happens, it’s not really subtle either. See, our bodies react strongly to that special time, even after thousands of years of not being wild animals anymore. We have to return to Vulcan, or go find someone to help us. Hormones and emotions get all messed up.”

Nori stretched out a hand, and Dwalin could see how it trembled faintly, in a way that might have seemed nearly normal for anyone who wasn’t as calm and precise as Nori. The smuggler watched it for a few seconds, with some distanced interest, before letting it drop against his side. 

“Funny, Vulcans hate this so much because it strips away their logic so completely. I used to laugh about it, it seemed silly, but I do get why it’s not something you’d like to go through.”

“So that is why you’re sick? Reproduction?”

“Not quite. I mentioned the hormones. There’s too many of them being produced in our bodies at this time. Well, it doesn’t stop, and there is no release until our biological needs have been met. I haven’t heard of anyone who actually died of it in recent time, but if it goes on for too many weeks even our bodies can’t take the strain forever. Heart failure, most likely.”

“I still have a couple of weeks before I’m in any danger,” Nori added quickly when he noticed Dwalin’s terrified look.

Dwalin took a few moments to consider that. It didn’t seem _too_ strange to him. There were creatures that went through similar things, though it was strange to know that such an advanced race as the Vulcans still had to deal with such a basic thing. 

“And you’ll feel better if…” his cheeks flushed a little at the thought.

“I have to find my _release_ if you will. So yeah, I really need to have a fuck to be cured of this inconvenience.”

Dwalin tried not to laugh out loud. 

“Just a fuck? What’s the deal then? We fucked before, you could just have told me that this time you really have to have one now?”

His smile died when he noticed Nori’s shift in posture. Where he’d stood tall and ready to give information calmly, his shoulders had slumped now, and he looked… nervous? Bright golden eyes watched Dwalin from beneath his lashes, and Nori seemed fragile and small once again. 

“Nori? Is… is there something different about this? Do I have to do something else for you?”

Dwalin could have punched himself for this. He had no idea whether Nori even wanted him to be involved, though he had hinted at it. Even if this was just them sleeping together as before, this time Nori’s wellbeing was at stake so there was no room for jokes. 

“It’s not _just_ a fuck…” Nori started quietly. “Part of the process is forming a bond. Hells, usually the bond is broken apart just as quickly as it was made afterwards, not everyone wants to marry or have a partner after all. But we _are_ a telepathic species, we need it.”

Nori’s cheeks darkened, and there definitely was a green tinge to his pointy ears. He pressed his lips together and stared at the floor for a bit before glancing back up at Dwalin.

“If it were just sex like you know it, I might have barely mentioned that anything was wrong. But I’ll… I’ll need to find my release through the bond as well… with you, it can’t just be a quick shag, it has to be both.”

“How do you bond?” Dwalin wasn’t sure whether he liked the sound of it, but he didn’t know anything about telepathy. He had no idea what Nori was referring to, and he knew he shouldn’t let his own imagination run wild.

Nori’s hand clenched. 

“Our minds would be one for a while. It’s like when I touch your hand. I don’t know how much you actually feel of it, but you _would_ feel my mind just as much as I do yours once we made contact. A bond… it can be just about anything. There’s brief ones, for a quick brush of minds, there’s those shared by families or friends, s-some of the strongest ones for lovers or kindred souls.”

Nori looked so shy that moment, Dwalin nearly wanted to step closer and touch him.

“A Vulcan would know that the telepathic bit is involved, but you don’t. You can’t even establish contact without an existing bond, so that’s why I had to ask you. I know not everyone is comfortable with it.”

Dwalin nodded slowly.

“I don’t know. What do you mean by our minds being one?”

Nori seemed at a loss to describe it.

“We’d feel each other. We’d feel each other’s thoughts, to some extent.”

“Is it like mind reading?”

“It wouldn’t be in this occasion. It is possible to actually search someone’s mind for things, but I never learnt how to, I didn’t grow up like a Vulcan child would, I never learnt it properly.”

Dwalin crossed his arms and Nori looked away. 

“I couldn’t if I tried once it starts, I certainly would lack the focus. It’s like the kiss, but stronger. It’s safe, and it’s just _feeling_ each other, it’s like a new layer of sense and of knowing what happens around you, it can feel nearly as good as the physical bits, I think? I never really did it when I didn’t have to, but I want to, I want to feel it when it’s you-“

Nori shut himself off, and glanced at Dwalin’s lips. 

It was strange to have Nori nervous about admitting that. He never made a secret of wanting Dwalin, though it had seemed like a joke at first. 

“Why? Wouldn’t it be better to find someone who knows how to meld properly?”

Nori shook his head firmly.

“That isn’t about experience. Once the contact is made you just feel. This is about who I want to do it with…”

He took a deep breath and turned a little away from Dwalin. His braid was a little messy, and strands of hair slipped out as he bowed his head. Dwalin wanted to tuck them behind Nori’s ear, but he would not touch, not unless he was given permission. 

“It’s silly,” Nori started, and Dwalin could tell that he was trying to sound dismissive. “It’s an emotional thing, so I wanted… I wanted it to be with someone I … care for. I do care about you. A lot.”

Dwalin felt the warmth from before, somewhere deep in his chest. He _wanted_ to do this, whatever it was. He wanted to give something that Nori felt this nervous about asking, something that had made him wait for the right moment. If it was affection he needed, he’d want to give it to him. He wanted to show Nori that he loved him; he wanted Nori to feel good in whatever he asked for. 

He still had no idea what this would mean for him though.

Dwalin let his eyes wander around the room as he thought. He could see Nori watching out of the corner of his eye, could see how Nori was looking him up and down, and how he was breathing harder than before. 

“There would be no lasting consequences if I didn’t want them?”

“No. I am not even able to harm you.”

“Sure?”

“If it calms you, I promise I’ll go ask Dori for help should _anything_ feel off to you.”

With how much Nori didn’t want Dori involved before, it was a good reassurance. Dwalin nodded along, as Nori went on.

“And you don’t have to decide now. Think about it, tell me… tomorrow, after alpha shift ends? I can wait before deciding what to do.”

“You still have a few weeks left?”

“Before it gets nasty, yes, I wouldn’t wait so long before telling, I’m fine right now.”

Dwalin shuddered at the thought of Nori getting worse to a point where he’d be thinking that his current state was fine. That was a problem; his life depended on it, didn’t it? Dwalin trusted that Nori wanted him, but did he want him right now? Fearing for his life might push him to an intimacy with a half-Klingon he wouldn’t have wanted otherwise. 

Apart from not wanting to make Nori claim to want what he wasn’t sure of, Dwalin wasn’t certain whether he could even do anything either. Knowing that your lover depended on you like that, and might not want everything wasn’t a nice thought. 

“What would you do if you couldn’t ask me?”

Nori shrugged.

“We’re a day from the nearest smaller starbases. Or planets. I’m sure there are some traders around as well. I would either ask Thorin for Shore Leave or steal a shuttle to find the nearest Vulcan who would feel up to helping me out. It’s not polite to leave somebody hanging.”

Dwalin considered that. 

“You could have done that in the first place?”

“Sure, but I want to experience it with you though.”

“Did it happen before?”

Nori leaned his head to the side, smiling a little. 

“This one’s my second. The first time a merchant I knew helped me out and explained what exactly I was feeling, and that it was the Pon Farr. It was pleasant enough, and I thought that actually sleeping with proper Vulcans once every seven years might be fine.”

His face softened as he looked at Dwalin’s lips. 

The warmth of knowing that Nori wanted this with him returned. Nori seemed to be less nervous now that he’d talked about the details, and Dwalin felt more confident in turn. This was just like any other time. Only he’d get to experience something new he hadn’t even heard of during sex. And he’d do so knowing that he was more than just a shag to Nori.

He wanted this as well, and he trusted Nori with taking what he needed without doing him harm. This would be like always, even if Nori was a little emotional and sensitive. 

Dwalin finally allowed himself to step closer to Nori, and he tried not to feel smug when he noticed Nori’s little shiver and his attempt to lean closer to Dwalin. 

“What does it feel like?” Dwalin asked, and Nori had to tear his eyes away from where he’d been staring at Dwalin’s chest. “The Pon Farr, what is it like?”

Nori’s golden eyes met Dwalin’s, and there was a strange intense focus in them, making it impossible to look anywhere but at them. 

“I burn.”


	3. Chapter 3

Dwalin lay on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He didn’t know what to do now, or what to say should he see Nori. How was one supposed to go about arranging or agreeing to such a thing? It wasn’t like the other occasions they’d slept together, during the times they actually agreed to do it so rather than following a spontaneous urge. 

This was important. This was Nori going to Dwalin to ask him for help in something he was supposed to keep secret. For someone who was so comfortable in his secrecy that did feel like quiet a feat anyway. This was Nori willing to let Dwalin get intimate with him on a deeper level than before. This was Nori telling Dwalin that he wanted to touch _minds_. 

Dwalin was nearly ashamed of himself for how long he’d spent researching whatever he could about the Vulcans’ form of mind melding on the ship’s computers. There really wasn’t much to read on it that was of use to him. It wasn’t a highly guarded secret of their culture, and the information was clear. Dry perhaps, and going into details and scientific explanations Dwalin truly didn’t care for. Still he tried to work himself through as much information as he could, just to be sure. 

It hadn’t taken him long to decide that it was safe for him. While there wasn’t that much on the topic of intimacy in form of melding, it also seemed like any damage one could do required more deliberate efforts than Nori could possibly bring up on accident. Dwalin trusted him enough to be sure he’d avoid any of that altogether. 

What did catch his attention and kept Dwalin up for long, was the literature, and the histories. There was enough translated into English for Dwalin to get caught up in, and then he just started painstakingly uncovering more and more in the ship’s files, asking the computer to translate what it could.

Most of it was only briefly mentioning the melding, as part of larger tales, and to his surprise Dwalin even found romantic poetry after some time. It was ancient, before Vulcan’s reforms, and the computer barely could provide translations. It sounded very profound, nearly too emotional to be written by Vulcans as Dwalin knew them.

He didn’t understand nearly enough, no matter how hard he tried, but as far as he could tell, Nori was asking for what nearly certainly was a gesture of love. Things shared by those who were close together, as far as Dwalin could trust the credibility of his sources. Nori wanting _him_ wasn’t a matter of convenience, not truly. Nori could have twisted it that way, claiming that Dwalin simply was the best pick of many, and Dwalin would still have agreed to it. But if Nori _wanted_ this as well? 

Dwalin lacked the imagination to even begin figuring out what a brief bond would feel like in their case. Perhaps he wouldn’t even feel anything, his mind wasn’t like Nori’s after all. The ancient poetries did not include non-Vulcans in their tales, nor was there any explanation for one to understand everything, but from what little Dwalin could figure out, it should be wonderful to Nori, and that was enough. More than that, it made Dwalin stir a little in anticipation. He’d like to see that, how Nori lost himself in whatever Dwalin could give him.

The problem, once again, was how Dwalin was supposed to do this. This might also have a possible impact on his own life. Whatever the research had shown, it wouldn’t tell him about how Nori would behave, or how things would change between them, if at all. Whether Dwalin would feel the same afterwards.

What would Nori think of him, once all was over? He’d feel Dwalin’s desire, and his need to have him. His emotional attachment, and all the things Dwalin wouldn’t have pushed him for otherwise. 

Once this was over Nori would still _know_ just how strongly Dwalin felt for him, and he wouldn’t want that without the Pon Farr’s influence anymore. He might want Dwalin still, but things would get awkward with one wanting so much more than the other was willing to put up with.

Dwalin turned his head to glance at his communicator. 

He should just let Nori know, release him from uncertainty. He wanted to help him, he _wanted_ Nori, and he could admit that he felt a jolt of displeasure go through him when thinking of Nori having to go find someone else to touch him, to feel his mind.

He could also admit that he selfishly didn’t want things to get ruined between them. It had been good before, Dwalin worried about how it’d end. Especially since they’d be stuck on the same ship for quite some time. There was so much that could go wrong…

Nori needed him though, needed anyone. But he’d asked for Dwalin. 

The answer would always yes anyway, would have been yes no matter what was asked, probably. 

Dwalin reached for the device and forced his fingers to be gentle as he typed the message and opened up Nori’s private channel. There really was nothing he could be afraid of that would make him say no now.

*

_’My quarters, 1830. Message if smth comes up’_ was all Dwalin had received as reply.

It was just that simple, and things were settled for the strangest booty call Dwalin had ever taken part in. 

There was plenty of time before that, so Dwalin was sure he could spend the rest of his day doing whatever he needed to get done. There were some more translated poems he looked at, though these didn’t have any useful information for this case. While he was just staring at his computer’s screen, Dwalin also tried to go through the schedules of the security teams, so he didn’t waste his time completely.

After a while Dwalin could barely focus on that anymore though. He kept thinking back to Nori, and what they’d be doing with their minds. He shouldn’t be nervous about that, it’d mostly just be sex for him, nothing different from the usual. 

It wasn’t really though, and it was different from the times before, just based on the things they’d do, on _why_ they’d be doing it. Based on Nori’s wellbeing depending on it, based on this being a special occasion, and that it was important to Nori, that he wanted Dwalin to be part of it. If it was just a thing that happened, then Nori had _made_ it special in the way he asked for it. 

In some ways it felt a little like a date. Dwalin wondered whether he should act accordingly, but he’d never been on a date with anyone he’d known for years, someone who he slept with occasionally anyway, and someone he already was in love with like this. How would he have acted either way? It was rare that Dwalin had even tried having an affair with a crewmember of any of the ships he’d served on. Especially since he didn’t think they’d be leaving Nori’s room either way. 

After some consideration Dwalin decided that it didn’t matter, he would do exactly as Nori asked, and just show up. Once there, he would follow Nori’s lead as well. 

When there was about an hour to go, Dwalin put down his work, to go take a shower and try to relax. He hadn’t been working efficiently anyway.

This only led to the next minor dilemma, as Dwalin stood in front of his shelf in just his pants and couldn’t decide what to wear. Vulcans seemed to like ceremony and tradition, in any matter, but Dwalin had not the slightest idea what would be appropriate. Robes, probably, from what little he knew, but he didn’t posses any robes, not even a bathrobe. The few ceremonial items he’d received from his mother seemed inappropriate, as it’d feel as if he was dressing for battle with them. He was torn between his regular uniform, and the formal one. The latter seemed to suit the occasion, but Nori had never cared for the Vulcan traditions. To him it would just part of how his body worked, and he might be annoyed by it even. Not to mention that people would notice if Dwalin walked about the ship in such attire. 

In the end there were about ten minutes left and Dwalin just put on his regular red shirt. There was no time left to properly try combing his hair back into any semblance of order, so Dwalin just glared at himself in the mirror before tying it back with a simple leather band. Despite his best intentions Dwalin looked exactly as he did every day with this attire, but there was little to change about it now. 

Dwalin didn’t encounter many others on his way to Nori’s quarters, yet somehow Dwalin was sure they knew what he was up to as he walked. He tried not to meet anybody’s eyes, though that was probably more suspicious as well. 

When he reached Nori’s door, there was a warm feeling of anticipation and nervousness in Dwalin’s chest, which he tried to ignore. He glanced around the corridor in every direction, before knocking firmly. He could hear the soft buzz of the door being unlocked and opened only a few moments after, and Dwalin stepped into the room. 

Nori’s quarters usually were lit by a warm light, illuminating the entire room just fine, though only the working area wasn’t dimmed down a little, giving the place a comfortable air about it. It was warmer than usual, and much warmer than Dwalin ever set his own quarters for, but it wasn’t uncomfortably so yet. 

Nori stood at his desk, bowed over a little with his hands braced on the table top, fingers still hovering over the door’s control. 

He looked mildly nervous as he watched Dwalin enter, a line of worry between his eyebrows and his lips pressed together. He was wearing a robe after all, out of a light and smooth looking brown material, and Dwalin wasn’t sure whether he recognized anything that was typically Vulcan in design. Just a simple robe perhaps. Nori had tied his hair into a very loose braid, and the points of his ears poked out of it just a little.

It always looked terribly endearing when he wore his hair like that, so Dwalin focused on that, rather than on his own nerves or on wondering whether Nori was all right and whether he was wearing anything underneath that robe. 

“You’re here,” Nori stated, and stood up straight. His hands were trembling a little, and he kept moving his fingers slightly, flexing them and tapping out a silent beat against his thighs. Dwalin wondered whether he did that on purpose or no. 

“Course, you asked for this time.”

Nori pressed his lips together harder. He didn’t look afraid, but he was staring at Dwalin in a contemplative way then.

“What would you have me do then?” Dwalin asked cautiously. “Are the rituals or things you have to do? Are we just supposed to sleep together, or do you want me to fuck you? The other way round? I couldn’t find any information on anything. I’ll do what you want.”

Nori’s lips parted, but he didn’t speak. His cheeks flushed harder though, and Dwalin noticed how the stare he was given did remind him of how Nori looked when he wanted him and plotted ways to drag Dwalin off for a quick shag in the nearest available space. Finally Nori broke his gaze.

“There’s no special way to doing it. What there is is just there to make it seem like we’re still all calm and collected.”

His trembling fingers brushed over the control panel and missed a few times before Nori managed to press a button. The doors locked behind Dwalin, and he took it as a cue to step closer. Nori stared up at him, breath hitching even though Dwalin hadn’t even done anything. 

“I’m not calm, at all though, so why pretend.”

His eyes were so dark, and closer to him Dwalin could hear how hard Nori was breathing as well. Nori stared him up and down, taking in his body and it took him a long time before his eyes finally met Dwalin’s again. 

“I want…” 

Nori’s hand reached for Dwalin, and they were close enough for him to touch, but he pulled away again.

“Yes?” 

Dwalin leaned closer, not quite daring to take a step until Nori invited him to do so. He watched Nori swallow hard and ball his hands to fists before forcing himself to relax again.

“Touch me? Please, just _touch_ me?”

Nori’s voice was a whine and his eyes were big and begging, and finally Dwalin stepped closer. Close enough to hear the whimper Nori made untouched, and smell the clean scent of his skin and smoke and honey. Dwalin reached out for him slowly, watching for a reaction and expecting Nori to reach for him as well. He didn’t, but he let out a soundless soft gasp when Dwalin’s hands curled around his shoulders. 

Dwalin kept his hands there for a few moments, then started stroking along Nori’s shoulders, up and down, gentle and slow, feeling the smooth texture of Nori’s robe and the firmness of his bones muscles underneath. 

He felt the warmth of Nori’s body, and the faint trembling of his body, he saw how Nori’s hands were shaking just a little bit, and how he tried to reach for Dwalin, but forced his hands back to his sides each time. When Dwalin’s thumbs reached Nori’s collarbones, Nori made a soft ‘oh’ and his eyes fluttered shut. 

He was solid and warm and Dwalin knew how strong he was, he’d never forget how Nori was _not_ some fragile thing, he could take more than humans, probably. But he had some delicate beauty about him that moment, one Dwalin rarely registered consciously, and it made him feel the need to protect him, to hold him in his arms. 

His hand moved over Nori’s neck, feeling goose bumps and the faint beat of Nori’s pulse, then stroked through Nori’s hair to cradle his head. Watching Nori’s reactions and pleasure at the gentle caress was mesmerizing, so Dwalin didn’t even think of stopping or leaning in for a kiss. It would have made him unable to see the way Nori’s face twisted in the sweetest way when Dwalin’s hand brushed over his cheek and his fingers cradled his chin.

A brief brush of his thumb over Nori’s lip made Nori chase his hand for a kiss, before he caught himself and stood still again. A soft stroke over one of his ears earned Dwalin a full body shudder as a response. 

He let go of Nori’s face then, and slid his hands down around his neck, this time moving his fingertips under the hem of Nori’s robe. Dwalin did it slowly, barely teasing over Nori’s skin, and he watched for a reaction or Nori to tell him to stop. He didn’t, so Dwalin’s eyes focused on what his hands were doing.

The robe was lighter than it looked, and soft, and it moved over Nori’s skin nicely. It caught on Dwalin’s fingers as he slid it to the side, revealing more and more of pale skin and freckles. He moved his fingertips over them, tracing their familiar patterns, halting as he worked the robe off Nori.

When the fabric slid of Nori’s shoulder, he shuddered and caught Dwalin’s sleeves in his hands. He was breathing hard as he pushed Dwalin’s arms away gently, before reaching for his belt and undoing it with shaky movements. He didn’t ask Dwalin for help as he fought the knot, until he finally managed to remove it. He shrugged off the robe, letting it pool at his feet, completely bare without it, before turning to step over the fabric and walk towards the bed, one hand already working at letting his hair fall loose as well. 

Dwalin wasn’t sure how to react. His mouth went dry and he desperately wanted to follow Nori, touch him and feel warm skin under his palms. He didn’t dare cross the invisible threshold to Nori’s bedroom though, staying where he was with the robe lying at his feet.

He watched Nori sit down on the bed and then slide up further to rest against the pillows. Nori combed his fingers through his hair, ruffling it and smoothing it back down. When he glanced up and noticed Dwalin standing there a little forlorn, he smiled.

“Come closer,” he said, waving at the space in front of his bed. 

Dwalin only managed to nod, eyes still fixed on his love. Nori quickly leaned over his nightstand to switch off all lights but the ones in this part of the quarters, and looked back at Dwalin expectantly. And who was he to let his love wait like this? 

He took a step over the discarded robe, into the room and towards where Nori was smiling at him from his bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Dwalin did not quite dare take the last two steps to the bed, stopping and watching where Nori was sitting naked.

“Get undressed?” he suggested, lips quirking as if Dwalin was being silly.

Dwalin resisted the urge to roll his eyes and instead leaned down to reach for his boots. He did glance up once the first one was off, and saw how Nori was watching him with wide eyes, staring at the curve of his back and as Dwalin suspected, at his arse. He smirked, and proceeded to remove the second boot even slower, trying to find a way to make such a ridiculous thing look attractive.

When he removed the uniform’s red shirt and started tugging at the hem of the undershirt Nori made an impatient noise.

“Do you want me to go faster? Or do you want a show?” Dwalin asked with raised eyebrows.

Nori covered his mouth with his hand and stared quietly, then shook his head and reached out for him.

“Just drop the clothes and get here, _please_!”

Again Dwalin followed the orders quickly and eagerly. He decided to just drop everything where he was standing, and climbed on the bed. Nori let out a relieved sigh and gently put his hands on Dwalin’s sides, breathing in when Dwalin cradled him close.

The way he moved his hands and pressed into Dwalin’s touches, it nearly seemed as if Nori was trying his best to hold back. He stared more than he touched, and when he did, he let his fingertips brush over Dwalin’s body, instead of groping and touching liberally as he usually did.

“Is everything all right with you?” Dwalin asked as he tried to catch Nori’s hand in his and failed.

Nori pulled away, gripping the sheets instead.

“I… I think I’m afraid,” he whispered.

Dwalin leaned back immediately, trying to scoot back over the bed to not crowd Nori in. As soon as he did so Nori’s hands found his shoulders and the thief nearly pulled himself into Dwalin’s lap.

“Not of you,” he muttered, nearly annoyed. “Of the situation, and how I feel. It’s not… normally feeling like this, when we are about to fuck.”

“It’s ok to be nervous,” Dwalin said, and rubbed Nori’s back soothingly. “I mean, with your-“ he made a vague gesture “-situation. I’d be nervous too.”

“It didn’t feel like that the last time,” Nori frowned and petted Dwalin’s chest, this time still gently but at least letting himself touch properly.

“Last time… I _want_ , so bad, that’s not how I usually- It never feels like so _much_.”

“Last time it was like this, a little bit,” he elaborated as he noticed Dwalin’s confused expression. “But I was further gone, and I just _wanted_ , it wasn’t focused on anyone. Maybe it’s because I wanted you before, or because I knew I’d want to be with you if I just could.”

His golden eyes were dark as he looked up at Dwalin, and focused just on his.

“I want to touch you and feel your skin against mine,” he went on, leaning closer to Dwalin’s face. The tips of their noses brushed together, but Nori didn’t go in for the kiss. “I want to feel your lips and your hands, I want you to touch me everywhere at once, I want to feel you against me, I want to feel your mind and body…”

Dwalin listened to every word Nori whispered, barely daring to move his hands as he held him in his lap. He didn’t notice how focused he was until his breath hitched and Nori pulled away with a smile. His eyes narrowed and he watched Dwalin’s face for a few moments.

“I think I get why they say you burn for someone…”

Nori sighed and leaned back so far that he dropped against the pillows. He looked less nervous at least, and he watched Dwalin with a soft smile. Dwalin rubbed his hands in small circles over Nori’s hips, watching the shudders his touches earned him. He loved how sensitive Nori was right now, though he wasn’t sure whether it really was a good thing.

“Is this good? Nothing is too different-“

Nori’s eyelids drooped and he arched his hips up against the touch.

“Everything feels like more,” he said after a bit. “Don’t stop.”

Dwalin petted Nori’s thighs and hips and belly, but he did not move closer to actually touching Nori’s cock. He was half hard already, but for once Nori did not complain about Dwalin being a tease.

Dwalin watched the steady rise and fall of Nori’s chest, his relaxed and pleased expression. So far this strange thing had only caused him to have a weirdly calm and happy lover stretched out in front of him, and Dwalin had to admit to himself that he did like seeing Nori like this without being already tired from a rough round.

“Can I touch your hands?” Nori blurted out then.

He’d been holding onto Dwalin’s wrists as Dwalin touched him. He hadn’t even noticed Nori doing that, but now he realized that Nori must have started touching him subtly.

A kiss. He was asking for a kiss, and that made Dwalin bite back a smile again.

He twined his fingers with Nori’s gently, and heard a pleased little sigh escape Nori’s lips. It felt warm and like a pleasant sense of closeness, but Dwalin couldn’t feel it as strongly as Nori seemed to do, so he leaned down and gave Nori a kiss on the mouth as well.

It was a little awkward like that, trying not to crush Nori without the support of his hands. Nori’s fingers moved very slowly over Dwalin’s skin, sometimes twitching a little as Nori moaned and Dwalin hadn’t done anything to cause the reaction. Occasionally Nori would arch up against Dwalin and rub against his body, soft and hot and solid and Dwalin would touch and grope him everywhere, if his hands were free to roam. He could break away easily, but holding Nori’s hands was just too nice to give up on just yet.

Nori’s eyes were closed the entire time, and he seemed utterly lost in the sensations as Dwalin kissed him and tried not to move away. His cock was pressing against Dwalin’s hip each time he tried to press their bodies closer. And with every such touch Dwalin heard a tiny whine escape Nori’s mouth.

Nori’s whines of protest grew louder when Dwalin gently pulled away one of his hands, and quickly turned to moans when Dwalin worked his hands between their bodies to stroke Nori’s cock instead.

He pulled at Dwalin’s hair and trembled in his arms until he finally spent with a cry, much quicker than usual.

Dwalin kissed his forehead as Nori calmed down again and his breath evened.

“Good?” he asked, not sure about how much Nori would want or need.

Nori lifted his hands to curl around the back of Dwalin’s neck and pulled himself up a little.

“Course,” he muttered, interrupting himself by kissing Dwalin softly.

“Is this what you need?” Dwalin asked, and petted Nori’s soft hair, right next to his ear.

Nori swatted away his hand with a huff. His cheeks flushed harder than before though, they always did when Dwalin came close to touching there.

“Not quite what I need, but it’s good, I want you and this,” Nori assured Dwalin. His thumb stroked over Dwalin’s cheek gently, and he was smiling, so softly that Dwalin suspected he wasn’t even aware of it.

“I need a connection. You know? Mind meld. Can I?”

Dwalin felt just a little nervous in anticipation, but they were already here, and he’d do anything for Nori at that point, give him whatever he wanted and needed, even if it meant possibly laying out all his thoughts for Nori to poke around in.

“Of course, what do you have to do for it?”

Nori spread his fingertips in front of Dwalin’s face, and he was frowning, looking more nervous than Dwalin felt. He wasn’t touching yet, but as Dwalin peered at them he was sure that Nori was trying to get a special form right.

“I will start slow. See if this is all right, if you feel ok. I don’t even know if I can pull it off, I’m not very good and you’re not telepathic, I’m not even sure whether you won’t fight me on instinct. Might happen after all, I never really tried with non-telepathic beings.”

Nori’s frown deepened as he rambled on with increasing pace, so Dwalin caught his hand and pulled it to his mouth to press a kiss to the fingertips. Nori stiffened and then relaxed right away, mouth going slack. He stared at Dwalin as he kissed every finger gently.

“Just start slow,” Dwalin told him, “I’ll tell you if it’s feeling weird.”

In fact, he still thought he’d not feel anything much from it. Not something he’d tell Nori while Nori was being nervous anyway. He still had the pleasure of Nori’s strong naked body against his, even if telepathically there was nothing.

Nori’s mouth twitched, and he touched Dwalin’s face, gently petting over his cheek.

“I’ll start then.”

He was incredibly gentle as he spread his hand over Dwalin’s face, fingers touching his temple and next to his eye. He looked focused as he stared at his hand, and Dwalin held him as he waited, petted his back and his sides. First he felt nothing at all, not even the warmth of Nori taking his hand in his.

He realized that Nori hadn’t even started when Nori started moving his lips, speaking soundlessly to himself as he focused. There was some… awareness then, of Nori being there. Dwalin felt Nori in his arms, more than before, felt his warmth, the fever heat of him, even though his skin wasn’t hotter than before.

It took some more moments for Dwalin to feel the change, and it was more Nori’s reactions that made him notice it. First there was a wave of pleasure, on that somehow tasted different in Dwalin’s mind, and then he felt Nori move in his arms.

Nori moaned and pressed his face against Dwalin’s neck, keeping his hands where they were. Dwalin could feel him shudder, could feel the heat and the pleasure radiating off him, though it felt so different from how this was supposed to be like.

“Is that- is that the link?” Dwalin managed to ask, not sure if it would interrupt Nori.

Instead of a reply Nori opened his mouth and groaned, before using his free hand to pull Dwalin down into a messy kiss. Their noses bumped together uncomfortably before Dwalin managed to tilt his head enough to avoid it, and Nori’s sudden intensity made it hard to breath. He could feel it too, could feel a burning need for contact and touch and kisses, though it wasn’t his, it was Nori’s.

He took it as a yes, and closed his eyes to let the sensations wash over him. He could feel Nori’s pleasure in any way possible, more than he’d ever imagined. Dwalin held Nori in his arms and felt all of him press and rub against his own body, could feel the needy little gasps and the way his hands stroked over Dwalin’s face and through his hair. He could feel waves of pleasure in his mind, and he knew it was Nori’s, and that it was all focused on him, that Dwalin was the one who’d made Nori feel this content.

Nori’s breathing was ragged and came out laboured, and Dwalin alternated between holding Nori gently as he calmed down from it, and seeing how much he could work him up with the tiniest motions.

Nori seemed to unfocused to really care what Dwalin was doing to him, as long as he just didn’t stop. When Dwalin rested his chin against Nori’s shoulder to just watch him, he did feel a sudden wave of urgency, and something that just screamed _more_ though Nori didn’t speak or show any of his usual reactions to it.

Dwalin just went on with it then, kissing along Nori’s neck and his collarbones, and shifting down to gently suck at his skin lower and lower. It went well until Dwalin reached Nori’s ribs and tried to shift on the bed to reach more.

Nori had not removed his hands from where they brushed against Dwalin’s temples, and it seemed to be an awkward position to go on touching Dwalin like that.

He whined something unintelligible, either a language Dwalin did not know, or simply words Nori was no longer able to speak. Instead of trying to actually tell Dwalin what he wanted Nori’s fingers curled around loose strands of Dwalin’s hair and he tried to pull him back up, keeping the contact between their bodies as big as possible, and also have Dwalin close enough to lean their foreheads together and kiss.

“No, no go on, please don’t stop,” was the first thing Dwalin could actually make out from what Nori was trying to tell him.

“What?”

“This, all of this, your mouth-“ Nori’s fingers trembled against Dwalin’s cheeks as he squirmed against him, tiny spikes of frustration brushing against Dwalin’s consciousness.

“Do you want me to kiss you everywhere? Suck you off?”

He dragged his hand over Nori’s belly slowly, and ended in a brief and teasing stroke of Nori’s cock.

“ _Yesss_.”

Dwalin covered Nori’s hand with his own, gently rubbing against it with his cheek.

“You’ll have to let me move then, can you do that?”

Nori threw one accusing look at Dwalin, as if him having to make a decision was all Dwalin’s fault and nobody else’s.

“Yes,” he said in a small voice, cautiously adjusting his hold on Dwalin’s face, so that he was cupping his cheeks rather than brushing his fingertips over specific spots.

Dwalin did not feel the intensity of Nori’s pleasure waver in his mind, so he took it for a confirmation that Nori could indeed keep the connection up once it had been established.

He moved slower this time, carefully watching Nori’s face and trying to focus on what he felt as he crawled down a little. Nori was breathing hard and seemed to be pouting a little, but the feeling of being urged on outweighed the feeling of ‘ _come back and kiss me_ ’ so Dwalin didn’t stop.

He’d sucked Nori off before, quick and messy, swallowing down as much of his length as he could, careful to not make a mess in places they weren’t supposed to be, slow and teasing when he wanted to see how well Nori could keep quiet, slow and lazy and gentle, sometimes, when they were on a bed. None of those times really compared to now.

Nori’s hands trembled and scratched against Dwalin’s head as he worked, and Dwalin could feel the strain in his body, could feel how any self-control Nori usually kept up was gone. He was lost in the sensations and the pleasure of having Dwalin’s mouth and hands on him, not caring for anything else, and Dwalin could _feel_ it too. Could feel pure pleasure and affection and need, and it was nearly clouding Dwalin’s head.

He felt Nori’s climax building up before Nori showed the signs of it physically. His entire body tensed up, pushing against Dwalin, and as he came there was a brief wave of near blinding sensation in Dwalin’s mind.

There was tenderness in Nori’s consciousness as he let out tiny pants while Dwalin licked him clean and gently petted his sides. It was so strange to feel it like that, and if Dwalin were to try and pinpoint something that was especially surprising about that state, it was how _emotional_ the pleasure Nori radiated felt.

He held Nori until he stopped trembling and fisting at Dwalin’s hair, which took longer than usual as well. There was something about Nori’s current state that made him so ridiculously sensitive, and Dwalin was sure that he truly wasn’t meant to enjoy him so much now. Nori didn’t seem to be in any pain, and all Dwalin was getting from him was pleasure and a sense of urgency, so perhaps he could take his pleasure in this as well.

“Good?” Dwalin asked again after he crawled up to be face to face with Nori again.

He bracketed Nori with his arms; mindful to not crush him with his weight but still have their bodies brush together. Dwalin tried his best not to smile too much when all Nori could respond with at first was a soft moan.

“Perfect,” he finally breathed, stretching up and curling his arms around Dwalin to pull him closer.

He looked limp and shaky, but there was surprising strength and firmness in the way he touched Dwalin, making him do what he wanted. Nori’s breath left him with a gasp and he succeeded in pulling Dwalin’s weight down to press against him, but he only wrapped his legs around Dwalin’s waist to keep him there.

The way Nori was clinging left little room for Dwalin to move. He could only lie there and enjoy feeling Nori’s heartbeat and breathing and the gentle wave of pleasure washing over him. Nori’s hands curled and uncurled where they were holding on to Dwalin’s back, gently petting and feeling the muscle. In turn Dwalin could only really stroke his hand through Nori’s hair. He could lean down enough to kiss what he could reach of Nori’s face though; gentle barely felt touches of lips on Nori’s skin.

In another time Dwalin might have thought that this was over then, that Nori was thoroughly satisfied and that he might get himself off and hope that there was time to curl around Nori and sleep. Now there still was some nervous energy in Nori, Dwalin could feel it through their link and in the way Nori’s movements were increasingly more deliberate and shaky.

Dwalin held Nori and waited, and finally Nori seemed to want to go on. He nuzzled against Dwalin’s beard before he asked.

“Would you fuck me now please?” he groaned, voice already hoarse from before.

Dwalin glanced at Nori, ready to just tell him that he’d do it any time. The look in Nori’s eyes made him pause for just a few moments, caught by the dark gold staring back at him. There was something more urgent in how Nori was watching Dwalin now, something wilder, just as Nori was like when he was teasing or enjoying the thrill of danger.

Only now there was no trace of the usual cocky twist of his lips, as he wore along with the wildness. Now his face was strangely serious, he was focused on Dwalin and his mouth was hanging slightly open as his breathing still was elevated. His lips looked slightly swollen and flushed from kisses and where he’d bitten his bottom lip before: Dwalin could barely remember that he was supposed to answer, not kiss him again and again.

“Yes, yes whatever you want,” he promised.

Nori made a pleased whimper, his fingers digging into Dwalin’s skin.

He looked completely lost as Dwalin had to get up just enough to get the lube, and to find a better position, as if he couldn’t bring himself to focus enough on the steps to make this as good an experience as it was supposed to be.

Dwalin took his time, summoning all his willpower to go slow and not rush anything in face of Nori’s begging eyes and the foreign waves of _please please please_ pulsing in his mind.

He warmed up the lube as much as he could, knowing that Nori probably wouldn’t care at this point. It didn’t matter, the urgency was not necessarily something Nori would feel without his biology interfering, and Dwalin wished to add as little possible discomfort as he only could.

As he kissed Nori’s stomach and asked for permission to prepare him gently, he was sure that Nori would reach his climax again, just from that, so much did the intensity of feelings in his mind increase. It was only the bond getting stronger though, it seemed, as Nori’s fingers petted Dwalin’s face over and over, and he could see the way Nori frowned in concentration.

When Dwalin finally took his own neglected cock in hand to slick it up he let out a sharp hiss. It felt so good to finally taking care of his own, and he indulged in a few strokes more than necessary.

Before Dwalin did anything else, he moved closer to slide his body against Nori’s, watching his face carefully. Nori was babbling now, too quiet and incoherent for Dwalin to be sure what he was saying. He seemed so lost in his sensations now, and even what Dwalin felt through their link was strange to him.

“May I?” he asked, holding himself as still as he could.

Nori stared up at him, and cradled Dwalin’s face in his hands. He pressed his lips together and nodded once, firmly and without breaking eye contact.

That was all Dwalin needed to be sure he could start.

He slid into Nori slowly and with all the restraint he could bring up, resisting the urge to thrust into him or go too fast or hard. Just as he did so, Dwalin felt something in his mind shift and open, and then it was as if a levee had broken between their minds, with the pure sensation of _Nori_ flooding and filling Dwalin’s mind even as he filled Nori and joined their bodies together.

Dwalin was lost in it, he could not _think_ anything that wasn’t also tied to the sensation of Nori’s presence there. It threw him, made his head spin even though he could simultaneously see clearly, could see and feel Nori against his skin just like it was supposed to be like, and though his own thoughts did not feel jumbled at all.

For a few moments Dwalin was afraid to loose focus, but it felt as if he was doing two things at once, utterly focused on giving Nori what he could, and focused on the alien presence in his mind, both while feeling the other, though both completely without distraction or interference. Dwalin was not sure he was even capable of experiencing such a thing without completely breaking down under the weight of the sensations, but it _worked_ and it felt _good_.

It was strange how little he had to actually think about what he was doing to Nori there. The way he was thrusting and pushing into Nori to hold for a few seconds, to pull out nearly completely and the thrust at a hard pace that had Nori screaming and their bodies smack together, the way he kissed and bit Nori, sharp and then gentle, or how his hands found their way to stroke his love’s most sensitive spots, it all required so little of him. As if Dwalin’s body knew what it was doing and giving pleasure to Nori was ingrained in his muscle memory.

Like that he could truly focus on what was happening in his head though, without giving up on coaxing the most beautiful moans out of Nori at the same time.

It was hard to make sense of something Dwalin had never experienced before, something his brain wasn’t even equipped to initiate without aid. But Dwalin realized that he could pin point _Nori_ after getting used to the sensation, and that while he could feel Nori’s mind in his, he _could_ return the gesture and probe against Nori’s, that he didn’t have to be passive in this.

Nori’s mind was… Nothing like Dwalin might have imagined his mind to be like. It was strange and a mess Dwalin could not yet decipher, not now, but still he could make a little sense of what it was like.

Nori’s mind was _on fire_.

It felt like fevers, like desert sands and what felt like the Vulcan sun mercilessly burning down on anyone unlucky enough to get caught in it, it was like burning his fingers on a candle and standing way too close to a fire.

Dwalin felt like it should have consumed him as soon as he came too close by rights, but it wasn’t real, was it? It was in their minds. In _Nori’s_ mind.

And Nori most definitely felt it too.

Though Dwalin could feel every bit of it, he also felt like it could not harm him at all, like he was feeling what Nori had in his own consciousness. It did not touch him.

Nori reached for him in their minds, as if he still held back despite the connection, not quite invading Dwalin’s space yet. Dwalin had only to think _come_ and it was as if Nori threw himself against him.

Dwalin expected to feel the fire then, but he felt Nori’s sense of… soothing.

Where Nori’s mind brushed against his the fire grew less, and he heard Nori’s _yes, yes, I needed this_ vibrating through his head. Dwalin was aware of the burning sensation Nori felt, but it also felt like passion now, and a _need_ that was focusing on Dwalin alone.

It was nearly paradoxical to feel the soothing tide of his own mind calming Nori’s, and the increase of the fire at the same time. It matched Nori’s actions as far as his body was concerned as well.

He squirmed and thrashed against Dwalin, scratching and pulling him closer, fingers digging into his skin, only to go near limp in Dwalin’s arms and shiver under his attentions seconds later.

Dwalin didn’t even feel himself climaxing, so lost was he in the new sensations. He felt Nori’s in their minds again, feeling the blinding whiteness, but this time the seconds seemed to stretch endlessly.

It was as if Nori reached as far into Dwalin’s mind as their bond and the moment permitted, filling him up completely, crying out his name and burning hot against Dwalin’s thoughts.

“ _Mine, mine, I want all of you, I_ need _you, please, Dwalin, please let me have all of you, Dwalin,_ please Dwalin!”

Dwalin wasn’t even sure what of it was him hearing Nori’s begging him through their link, and what was the small man’s actual voice crying out for him.

When the flood of emotions ebbed down enough for Dwalin to really focus on what he was doing, he held Nori nearly too tightly to possibly be comfortable. Nori was breathing hard against him, scratching at his shoulders and moaning as Dwalin pulled out very gently.

He was still sensitive all over, and Dwalin felt the heat radiating off him, both real and in their heads.

Dwalin tried to roll away to give Nori some space to recover, but Nori clung harder and didn’t let Dwalin escape his arms.

“ _Stay, I want you, please?_ ”

His lips were parted; soft and flushed green, and Nori’s eyes were fixed on Dwalin in a way that might have been unsettling at another time, with anyone else. To Dwalin it only made him lean down and kiss Nori.

“ _I can’t again,_ ” he managed to think back at his thief, so he didn’t have to break the kiss.

“ _That’s fine, if you don’t mind, let me, I want to feel you, please, be mine._ ”

It was fine as it was, despite Dwalin’s concern about not being able to give Nori what he needed. Nori seemed content with how Dwalin had brought him off before. He simply straddled Dwalin and rubbed against him, kissing and moaning against his lips.

It was strangely pleasant to just lie back and hold Nori as he was used like that. In their minds he felt their thoughts tangle, could feel Nori’s burning step into the background and he could simply enjoy the sensations, the emotions and the thoughts.

There was an easy exchange of simple affections, of gentle brush of their minds against each other’s. Dwalin wasn’t even entirely sure who’s thoughts and feelings he was noticing. Might be it was all him, trying to soothe Nori and make him feel loved and protected, maybe it was Nori’s gratitude, or even the affections he had for Dwalin.

Whatever it really was, Dwalin tried not to think too much into it. It was enough to lie back and have all of Nori’s attentions focus on his so completely. Nori’s hands were everywhere, and his mind seemed to mix in Dwalin’s with no restraints, and Dwalin wasn’t feeling the need to push against it anyway.

There was no room for a sense of passing time. It was just Dwalin holding on to Nori, as the little man worked himself to exhaustion to lean against Dwalin, breathing hard and trembling, only to start arching back up against him begging for more.

Dwalin didn’t even remember what he was doing half the time, apart from Nori’s voice and mind crying out in pleasure. He felt Nori’s hands in a vicelike grip on his arms, enough to bruise perhaps, and he felt his back trying to push against Dwalin’s chest as he used his weight to press him against the mattress. He remembered hearing Nori growling into the pillows as Dwalin kissed and bit his way along his pale shoulders.

And all of it was accompanied by the stream of ‘ _mine, mine, please let me be with you, please let me_ ’ echoing through their minds.

It took Dwalin a while to notice how Nori’s movements grew unsteady, and how the furnace of his mind slowly cooled down to mere embers. The presence of Nori’s consciousness slowly seeped back and out of Dwalin’s mind, until there was a disconcerting emptiness in its place. Before Dwalin could start feeling uncomfortable, Nori’s arms started to tremble and he collapsed against Dwalin’s chest with a sigh.

He was completely limp where he was, breathing in tiny little puffs and not resisting at all as Dwalin pulled him up and against his side for a more comfortable position. He looked as if there was no spark of energy left in him at all, while Dwalin felt tired, but well enough to have no trouble moving or even sitting up properly, with Nori’s weight against him.

“Are you all right,” he asked, gently touching Nori’s check.

Nori mumbled a reply, something Dwalin couldn’t make any sense of, and pressed his face further against Dwalin’s shoulder. That was all he could manage at that point, by the looks of him.

Dwalin held him closer, smiling and glancing at the tangled mess of blankets they’d made. Nori had more blankets than was the regulation, he realized, and that only made him snort.

Falling asleep like that was tempting, but they’d feel uncomfortable once they woke up, so Dwalin gently pushed Nori onto the bed and got up, despite the whining it earned him.

He put the blankets in order and fetched a warm wet towel from the bathroom, after he’d cleaned himself up quickly. It took some gentle coaxing to have Nori allow Dwalin to roll him on his back. Dwalin sat down next to his little thief, and carefully cleaned him up everywhere, keeping his touch as soft as he could. As he worked, Nori kept watching him through heavy lidded eyes, expression unreadable.

When Dwalin was finally done, he put the towels away and climbed back into bed, gathering Nori up in his arms and pulling the blankets up around them.

“Was that enough?” he asked, and Nori managed a nod at least.

“It was- yes. Yes thank you.”

Dwalin watched Nori breathe softly. There was a faint green blush in his face, and where his lips were slightly puffy. The tips of his ears as well. Nori always protested when Dwalin tried to touch him there, but still Dwalin carefully sneaked his hand up to cup Nori’s head and brush his fingertips against it. Nori scrunched up his nose and breathed out an annoyed huff, but he turned his head just slightly to give Dwalin a better reach.

For a while Dwalin thought that Nori had just fallen asleep from his exhaustion, but then he saw him crack open an eyes.

“I really should…” Nori muttered and feebly raised his arm a little to reach for Dwalin’s face. He only managed to brush his fingertips through Dwalin’s beard, humming as he left it there.

“Yes? What do you need?” Dwalin asked and gently picked Nori’s hand up to press a kiss to his finger tips. He smiled as he heard Nori’s breath hitch and saw how his ear tips flushed harder.

“I should dissolve the link between us… I’m too tired, I don’t know if I can focus enough.”

He sounded worried at that, and Dwalin tried to search his mind for anything different. It felt the same, he supposed, but how was he to tell him his current state.

“The bond is still there?”

“There’ll be a weak one unless I do something about it.”

Nori was frowning and he was too exhausted to be concerned about something like this. It wasn’t as if Dwalin minded if he was honest, and unless it in some way was uncomfortable for Nori there was no rush.

“Leave it in then,” he shrugged and squeezed Nori’s hand.

Dwalin felt Nori freeze against him, then the soft huff as he dared breathe again. He looked down to find Nori staring back with an unreadable expression. It looked like disbelieve, and hope maybe? Nori seemed too exhausted to keep his face clear of any of that.

“Leave it… You don’t know the implications, do you? You wouldn’t know what a bond like this means to Vulcans?”

Dwalin leaned his head to the side.

“Well… we’d be _bonded_? Isn’t it something for family and those you are close to?”

“For your lovers as well…” Nori whispered. “So… You’d want this in your head?”

He turned his head, so that his face was pressed against Dwalin’s shoulder and his hair fell over it like a curtain.

“I still don’t know what it does…” Dwalin replied softly. “But if this is what it would imply, then yes, I would like you in my head.”

Nori didn’t speak for a while, body still unmoving and his face hidden away against Dwalin’s body. He wondered if he’d crossed some line by saying this, but Dwalin waited, and eventually Nori pulled his hand out of his grip, turning it and very gently twined his fingers with Dwalin’s.

He squeezed just a tiny bit, and Dwalin held on as well, daring to smile. It was as clear a yes as he could expect from Nori at this moment.

“Stay with me tonight,” Nori requested, voice sounding sleepy and so adorably shy.

Dwalin laughed and pulled Nori closer against his body.

“You’re a strange one, Nori, you know that?”

He pulled the blankets up around them as well as he could, and cuddled up against his warm love. Nori hummed against Dwalin’s skin and did not move further.

Dwalin smiled, and everything felt so right, and strange, but nevertheless just as it was supposed to be. He fell asleep in the unfamiliar room with his lover’s soft breaths at his ear and his heartbeat against his palms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading!
> 
> art by me, also on here  
> http://asparklethatisblue.tumblr.com/post/103813799638/


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